This Month's Topic: Navigating funding for incubators, apprenticeships and agricultural support organizations
 

Conversation Host: Kenan Hill, Farm Business Accelerator Program Coordinator at Northern Colorado Foodshed Project is the Program Coordinator for the Northern Colorado Foodshed Project’s Farm Business Accelerator Program. The Accelerator is located on 15 acres of Fort Collins Natural Areas land and is in its fourth season of operation. The three year program aims to provide low-cost access to everything needed to establish and manage a successful farm business: land, water, infrastructure, business education through a partnership with Colorado State University (CSU) Extension’s Building Farmers Program, technical support, mentorship, and marketing assistance.

Navigating funding for incubators and agricultural support organizations has never been easy or straightforward, but it has always been important–if we can’t meet our organization’s bottom line, we can’t provide quality support to those we aim to serve. In this current climate where one of our most important funding streams, federal grants, has become uncertain, it has become more important than ever to discuss and share ideas around alternative and additional funding streams. This session aims to cover the experience of the Northern Colorado Foodshed Project’s search to diversify revenue streams, including adding a wholesale pumpkin operation for the 2025 season. Then, space for an open discussion around ideas, resources and paths forward will be provided.

Some of the key questions we will explore this month:

What funding sources has your organization found to be successful and sustainable?
What gaps do you feel in funding for nonprofit and ag support organizations? How could those gaps be addressed?
Are there any opportunities for funding that you would like to explore in the future?